Let’s be Friends…
join our new membership program,
Friends of NC Catch.
Buying North Carolina seafood is a choice that benefits your health, the environment, and fishing communities. When you choose North Carolina seafood from our local waters, you invest in stronger, more resilient local-fishing economies while enjoying fresh, nutritious food. Buying local is a vote for sustainability, economic resilience, and community well-being. It’s a simple, impactful way to eat better, live better, and help North Carolina commercial fishermen thrive in a global seafood market.
Since 2000, North Carolina fishermen have lost markets to imported seafood, which tends to be less expensive. As the state’s seafood industry contracts, your access to local seafood decreases over time. NC Catch wants to halt this decline and protect a vital food resource for North Carolinians who prioritize buying North Carolina seafood over imports when given a choice.
NC Catch is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to raising public awareness of North Carolina seafood and of the men and women who earn their livelihoods through commercial fishing. The organization educates people that buying local seafood supports a robust local seafood economy that sustains commercial fishing and the public’s access to local seafood long term. We emphasize six broad themes:
Responsible Harvesting - Commercial fishermen are responsible stewards of coastal waters because they follow harvest regulations that protect fishery resources for the next generation of seafood consumers.
Seasonality - North Carolina seafood has a season, and certain fish are only available at certain times of the year.
Quality - If you know what to look for, the quality of local seafood is easy to recognize at the retail counter.
Safe Handling - Local seafood is subject to rigorous state and federal rules that protect its quality and safety, making it a wholesome choice for home meals.
Preparation Guidance - NC Catch highlights kitchen-tested recipes that local-seafood enthusiasts can try at home, as well as recipes from leading NC restaurants who are part of the NC Catch Chef Ambassador program.Preserving Local Heritage – When people buy North Carolina seafood, they support the livelihoods of the men and women who provide fresh, North Carolina seafood to the public, which sustains fishing communities and a heritage that is unique to the North Carolina coast.
Friends of NC Catch unites people who care about access to North Carolina seafood. Your membership helps us continue our mission of educating consumers on the importance of buying local seafood, which supports coastal fishing families.
As a Friend of NC Catch, your financial support allows us to support our educational outreach through our NC Catch Chef Ambassador program as well as special events that connect consumers with local fishermen and seafood retailers.
We want to keep NC Seafood on YOUR plate!
Choose the level of giving that is right for you! Join Friends of NC Catch today. Click here.
Research by North Carolina State University shows consumers across North Carolina would buy North Carolina seafood over imports if given a choice. The mission of NC Catch is to sustain our state’s commercial fishing industry by raising consumers’ awareness of local seafood, where they can buy it and how to prepare home meals with local seafood.
NC Catch asks that our trade partners label the seafood on their counters that is landed by North Carolina fishermen so customers who want local seafood can identify and purchase it. NC Catch will provide the signage.
NC Catch recognizes that retailers must provide certain seafood, such as salmon, that is not native to North Carolina waters to the customers who want this seafood year-round. Our organization is also aware that the supply of wild-caught seafood can be inconsistent due to weather events. In these cases, retailers will understandably fill their supply gaps with products from other states or from overseas. NC Catch only wants to help our trade partners better promote the local seafood they do offer their customers.
As a Friend of NC Catch, your financial support allows us to support our educational outreach through our NC Catch Chef Ambassador program as well as special events that connect consumers with local fishermen and seafood retailers. And support businesses like yours!
We want to keep NC Seafood on YOUR customers' plate!
Choose the level of giving that is right for you! Join Friends of NC Catch today. Click here.
